Volpine Prelude
by AlbinoF0x
Summary: Kakashi likes to fall asleep to his music. But what happens when he hears someone playing in the dead of night? summary kinda sux. i couldnt think of anything. Kaka/Naru AU ish. kinda wordy. fluff, shounen ai, one shot.


well here is the kakanaru shounen ai i promised. i based it on my love for classical music and it was inspired by a composition my sister is writing. hope u enjoy it as much as i enjoyed writing it.

thank you_** KURIOS**_ and **_STRFIRE_** for the suggestion of OpenOffice. WITHOUT THEM MY UPDATES FROM NOW ON WOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE.

Vulpine prelude

The silver haired shinobi lay down softly onto his bed, grateful his first ANBU mission in four years was finally over. He'd never been so exhausted in his life. He'd completely overworked his Sharingan, which now throbbed painfully against his skull. he had long since begun to feel the strain of his Mangekyo, however unlike Itachi, his former partner...before the massacre, he was able to harness enough control over it that his eyesight had yet to dwindle away. and for this he was grateful. reaching over as he removed his mask, relishing in the sudden coolness of the air against his cheeks, he pressed the play button on his stereo.  
immediately the soft humming and thrumming of a piano began to play, the music soothing Kakashi's aching mind. Beethoven's "Moonlight serenade" had always been one of his favorite compositions; soft and melodic, the flowing of the invisible fingers on the invisible piano whispered into his consciousness, pulling him into a peaceful slumber.

It was many hours later when Kakashi woke to his music once more, and he smiled gratefully; this was the best sound, the best music for him. So contrasting to the violence and vigorous pace of his everyday life; it was nice to just sit back and relax, however short these moments were. He opened his eyes at long last to check the time, it was almost ten in the evening.

'Good.' he thought. 'I can go back to sleep.' once more he reached over and pressed 'stop', so he could sleep in the quiet of the night. However, he noticed the piano did not cease to play. Eyes screwed up in a frustrated expression, he glanced over and noticed that the CD had already ended. Thoroughly confused, he sat up and dangled his legs over the side of his bed, rubbing his eyes to rid them of sleep. Was someone playing nearby? Was one of his neighbors listening to similar music as he?

Kakashi closed his eyes and listened in attempt to to deduct where the music was coming from, realizing that he was not familiar with this piece. It was quite unique, and he could not quite put his finger on the composition style.

He listened further and closed his eyes in reverence to the melodic tune that reached his ears and decided to venture to wherever the music was coming from. Perhaps the owner would inform him so he could buy a CD for himself.

He finally stood up and lifted his mask to his face, leaving his house behind him into the street. They couldn't be far if he could hear their music through his walls. He soon was in pursuit of the haunting music, rhythm speeding up as it changed from slow and soothing to lively and jumpy. He knew now for a fact, this was no recording from the clarity of the music and could only imagine how quickly the no doubt, nimble fingers sped over the keys. Suddenly, he realized that he knew this piece and he laughed.  
"Rage over a lost penny." he chuckled to himself. This was another favorite of his and consequently, he owned a copy. Glancing around, he allowed himself a small step and shuffle to the vibrant music, glad nobody could see his momentary laps of maturity.  
but how shocked he was to end his journey right in front of -  
"...naruto's house..." he muttered in surprise. Was his former student really the one playing? He found it hard to believe, though the boy; no, _man_ was full of surprises. He wondered if he should knock before entering; it would be rude to just barge in. But then again, he thought, if he did make his presence known Naruto may not wish to continue as he had developed into a bit of a private man. So, as quietly has he could, he opened the door and concealed his chakra, just as the music took yet another turn as once again, the music switching to an unfamiliar tune.  
All at once Kakashi felt a wave of sadness from the melody; very deep and dark except for a few single placed high notes here or there, keeping to a slightly... "negative" and … "off" tone. How strange...he couldn't find the words to describe it, and he _prided_ himself on his eloquent grasp on the music. He took a few steps into the next room as the music took on a more harsh and imposing feel, as if a rage was being released along with an underlying internal torture, and how shocked was he to see Naruto in the next room sitting at a _full scale_ piano, tears streaming from his tightly close eyes and down his cheeks as his fingers frantically flew over the ivory and ebony keys, in time with his foot thrusting upon the floor paddles. The over all effect of visual and musical stimuli was quite..._astounding_. He felt a strange jolt in his stomach at a chord he'd never once heard in his life just as he pace quickened even further; his hands practically a blur. Kakashi inhaled deeply in realizing he had been holding his breath, sinking into the depths of the growing battle of fingertips, keys and strings filled his head. This was a composition like no other he'd ever heard.

Images raged in his mind as if the song itself were projecting them, moments of harsh, death defying battles, incomprehensible bloodshed, fear, regret, and pain unimaginable. The tune stopped abruptly after a particularly violent and loud combination of chords, and sowley... ever so slowly, very soft high notes hummed into existence; soothing and melodic once again. Soon a rare, jaunty threesome of keys, to indicate nothing less that moments of ecstasy, depicted of love and affection; slow and quiet, the tempo rising here and there with the volume before ebbing to little more than a whisper. It was just enough to keep Kakashi from drifting off from the tender lullaby Naruto played.

Suddenly a great crash of rage rang from the instrument fingertips no doubt blistering from speed and once again, he recognized the painful agonizing furry in this moment. He'd been hurt by his love, abandoned and left for dead. But no sooner than it started, the piano dropped to the lowest notes of the piano changing tone again into a frantic jittery and near senseless pattern; confusion...perhaps searching, and obvious feelings of betrayal. It was filled with more pain than he'd ever felt in a piece, and without realizing it tears welled up in the corners of his eyes. He watched as Naruto's face contorted and twisted with the most complex and unreadable expression Kakashi had seen on the normally goofy face. Calloused fingers pounded near abusively on the keys rolling, his wrists; his entire body shaking whilst his hands ran up and down the _entire _scale of the piano; panic perhaps?  
Then...it all mellowed out and as if all had been forgotten, the song gave out a soothing and calming melody of content, the blonde's face relaxing into a peaceful smile, eyes still shut and Kakashi realized he had never once opened them, wondering just how familiar Naruto was to this particular instrument.

As he watched, the weeping subsided for the most part, though a few stray tears still leaked through, though the man knew these were tears of joy. His arms and hands moved fluidly with a grace that most had never deemed possible from the rough and crass mouthed adolescent, as if _they_ were the music themselves. At long last, the tune gradually slowed his thin battle-worn fingers caressed the keys further up the octaves, until he ended the magnificent piece with three soft and lingering high notes.

Naruto let out a small sigh and rubbed his aching hands. It felt so good to play out his feelings like this. He chuckled internally as he wiped the drying tears from his cheeks making a mental note to actually write some of these down. He wondered how others would react to his over emotional compositions. Taking a large breath as he had forgotten to breath for quite a while, he noticed a familiar scent and gasped, looking up to see his former Sensei looking rather..._strange_. He'd never thought Kakashi to be one to show excessive emotion; but here he was, gazing at Naruto with amazement, shock, and overall admiration.  
"S-sensei?" Naruto stuttered, embarrassed. He knew he shouldn't have been so loud.  
"Uh..." Kakashi was at a near loss for words. "Can i join you?" he asked, not really knowing what else to say. Naruto nodded silently and skooched over to make room on the seat when Kakashi ran his fingers over the dull polished wood, it was quite old...antique. "Where did you get this?"  
"Um...I went searching for scrap metalI wanted to melt down for a weapon when I saw it." he smiled nervously as a hint of pink spread over his cheeks. "I couldn't resist, so I brought it home." Kakashi nodded, placing his hands over the ivory, softly plinking a few high notes and smiled.  
"You sure keep this in good condition."  
"I take care of my things; especially Ayane here..." he rubbed the oak and cherry piano fondly. "She's very precious to me, like a musical journal." Kakashi nodded, positioned his fingers on the keys once more and softly began Franz Liszt's "Harmonies du Soir." to which Naruto closed his eyes and smiled softly...he adored this piece, almost more than his own, and before he knew what he was doing, he joined in and harmonized with his former Sensei's unique take on it.

It was a bit off pace and more...flowey, his feet held the petals down longer than was custom, but Naruto felt this improved it all the more. Soon he was humming along in his head, gradually forgetting everything but Kakashi, himself and the wonderful music they could create together. He'd never felt so close to the man, and he certainly had never expected his teacher to be a fan of the classics, or the piano at all for that matter. He'd always pinned him as a heavy metal kind of guy. How ironic...

The melody began to quicken in pace and grow vigorously in tempo and volume and kept so for a while before dropping back into its peaceful quiet calmness.

Naruto lifted his chin in relaxation and let the glorious sound flow into him only to be interrupted by Kakashi's hand bumping into his as they attempted to hit the same key, and was only just able to hold in a small gasp. Not knowing where the urge to do so came from, he looked across his shoulder to see Kakashi, who hadn't stopped. Was he-

'Why is he smirking?' the blonde thought to himself.  
Naruto pouted in confusion and continued to play along; yet, it was all too soon when they collided again, this time the "bump" feeling more like he was being felt up. How odd; his mind must be playing tricks with him.

He quickly tried to pull his hand away but found that the nimble and musically talented fingers held on. Naruto directed his cerulean eyes to Kakashi and had to bite his lip to keep from gasping out again; but he couldn't stop the intense heat that filled him from his head to his toes. The man's mask was down, revealing a radiant and gentile smile; which, in the next moment, the flushing blond couldn't resist returning, before they both played the last few stanzas of the song; much slower that the original. But neither had looked away.

So as the last key was prodded, the hand that did so, slid limply to dangle by orange and black pants, and a pair of lips met the other with a loving caress, beginning the first of the many tender nights they would spend together.

~Owari~


End file.
